The Castletownoche Murders.

Manawatu Standard, Volume X, Issue 1463, 24 September 1885, Page 4

T he Castlet o wnoche Murders.

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(Home Ncips.) In the County Crown Court at Cork, on July 27, Mr Justice Andrew?, William Sheehan and David Duane, charged with "£Ke"t>astletownro_che murders, were put forward. It was understood that an application would be made for' a postponement of the trial, but the special jury, summoned under the Crimes Act. had bpen summoned to attend. The Solici-tor-General appeared with Sergeant O'Brien, Mr Green, Q.C., and Mr Moriavty, instructed Mr W. V. Gregg, to prosecute on. the part of the Crown. A large Bar of iuniors • had been retained for the prisoners, among whom were Mr T. M. Healey, M. P., Mr Richard Adams, Mr D. B. Sullivan, and Mr Burke. Mr Adams, on behalf of Brown, said he had to apply to his Lordship for a postponement of the trial of his client until the next assizes. He founded his. application on the affidavit of the prisoner's solicitors, which he read. It stated thafi two newspapers circulating widely m the districts from which the prisoners', had been drawn— -namely the Cork Examiner and the Cork Daily Herald, had made, publications of a most scandalous and objectionable -character, m which the guilt of the prisoner was assumed. In .one : case a statementitifdnfe of the* witnesses (the elder Duane) had- been issued to the public, this being-. a- -statement made without the sanction .of an oath.' Considering the tremendous issues involved, and the fact that the' case excited considerable interest, he submitted that m the face of these articles a fair and impartial trial could not be had, as the minds of the jurors were already poisoned with the. sensational matter appearing m those newspapers. Mr Burke, .onhehalf of Sheehan, moved for a similar postponement. The Solicitor-General opposed the application, holding that no intelligent body of jurors would be prejudiced by the reports m question, and the prisoners had a perfect opportunity of preparing a defence to Dnane's statements. His Lordship commented strongly on the newspapers which had issued the articles complained of, and said he had no course open to him but to grant the application. _ He postponed the trial to the next assizes. A witness of the crime has, it is saidj confessed his complicity, and deposed to the whole facts of the case. The deposition is published m some of the local papers. The witness is John Duane, father of the young man Duane, who has deposed to the making away of the bodies. Duano m his first examination, denied altogether that he knew anything about the murder. His statement now is as follows : — (< On the day of the murder, William Sheehan said to ms, ' Johnny, you won't tell what I'm going to do to-day.' He did not say what that was, nor did I know what he meant. This was about an hour before anything took place. I was standing m the yard just outside the stable door. Thomas Sheehan first went into the stable. William then followed him m. William got a griffaun that was inside the door. William struck Turn Sheehan on the head with the griffaun. He struck him two blows. He killed him dead. William Sheehan and David Browne then crossod over and ? went into .the. houses I followed them over to the door. Mrs Sheohan and her daughter were m the little room bolow the kitchen. William Sheehan and David Browne went into that little room. William Sheehan struck his mother with the 'griffaun, and then he threw away the^griffauh and caught her by the throat and choked htr. David Browne took up the griffaun and struck Hannah with it and knocked her down, and then caught her by the throat and she gave a couple of screeches. They then asked trie to assist ' theni and take the bodies over to the stable, and I did . assist them. There was no one m the yard then, as ttie little girl was watering the cows. 1 went to the stabta to see what they were' going to do. She stable door was locked that evening by William Sheehan. I went home that evening to my own house. On that day he sent me away on business for a couple of hours; As I was going home that evehingabout six o'clock William Sheehan had a horse and car — at was a Scotch car — ready to go for Spillana. I heard the little girl talking about it. I did not not see them that night again. I did not see Spillana at all. I came next morning as usual. He told me m the evening that when I was going home he wanted me to tackle the horse, and to come over again, When I came back I tackled the horse. This was after eight o'clock. I heard a concertina playing that night before I went with the car to the stable door to take out the bodies. There were candles lighted m the house. I saw the Misses Browne there that night, and David Browne and William Sheehan came out and left the .girls inside. The girls did not come to' the door to look out, or I would have seen them. They went across? . to the stable, and Sheehan and David Browne brought out the bodies and put them into the car. The old woman was brought out first, the girl Hannah then, and Tom last. Tom's boots were taken off the night of the murder, and William gave them to me. I led the horse by the head, and they followed. When we got to the well it was about 11 or 12 o'clock. Tom was the first carried up and thrown m, the sister then, and then the old woman. I don't recollect what kind of /clothes they wore. There Was some blood on the cart. After the bodies were thrown into the well they covered up the well with the whitethorn bush which covered it before. When we came bock to the yard the girls were m the house playing the concertina. I saw them through tho window. I then untackled the horse from the car. Browne went into the house where the girls were. William Sheehan stopped outside, and- washed the ear. William told mo riot to tell airything."